The strategies to ensure that current high maternal deaths are reduced through awareness creation on the promotion of healthy lifestyle among womenfolk are the focus of a recent media training. The one-day training for journalists on media advocacy for women’s health which was held at the LimeRidge Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos State, was organised by the Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI) in collaboration with Pathfinder International and the Lagos State Government. The capacity building event highlighted the need for journalists to focus their reportage on issues that boost maternal health.
The training became necessary to advocate for women’s health in order to reduce high maternal mortality being recorded. To this end, experts encouraged journalists to focus their reports and investigations on reports that promote family planning, increased antenatal care access and access to healthcare, among others. Similarly, it was aimed to make journalists understand the ethical considerations and best practices for reporting on sensitive women’s health topics including emale genital mutilation, sexual violence, among others.
Senior Programme Advisor, Pathfinder International, Dr Sakina Bello said media advocacy is one of the way to actualise improved women’s health services in Lagos. According to her, advocacy works wonders and as it is a critical part for this project, “our media partners are here to really know what we are planning, and identify the role in reportin.
